Champions League 2025/26: Provisional Round of 16 Qualifiers Announced
The Champions League 2025/26 is entering a critical phase as the provisional Round of 16 qualifiers have been announced. This season has showcased intense competition among Europe’s elite football clubs.
Current Standings and Qualified Teams
As it stands, Arsenal leads the group after securing a victory over Inter Milan. Real Madrid’s recent win against Monaco propels them to third place, putting them just one step away from the knockout stage.
Below is a breakdown of the teams that have qualified directly for the Round of 16:
- Arsenal
- Bayern Munich
- Real Madrid
- Liverpool
- Tottenham Hotspur
- PSG
- Newcastle
- Chelsea
Teams Entering Preliminary Knockout Round
Meanwhile, several teams will enter the preliminary knockout round, also known as the Round of 32. These include:
- Barcelona
- Sporting Lisbon
- Manchester City
- Atletico Madrid
- Atalanta
- Inter Milan
- Juventus
- Borussia Dortmund
- Galatasaray
- Qarabag
- Marseille
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Monaco
- PSV Eindhoven
- Athletic Bilbao
- Olympiacos
Teams Eliminated
As the competition narrows, several clubs have been eliminated from this season’s Champions League:
- Napoli
- Copenhagen
- Club Brugge
- Bodø/Glimt
- Benfica
- Pafos
- Union St. Gilloise
- Ajax
- Eintracht Frankfurt
- Slavia Prague
- Villarreal
- Kairat Almaty
Champions League Format and Tie-Breaking Criteria
This season’s format allows the top eight teams to progress directly to the Round of 16. These teams will also enjoy the advantage of playing home fixtures throughout their knockout stages.
The following teams ranked from ninth to twenty-fourth will participate in a preliminary knockout round to determine who advances alongside the top seeds. Teams ranked from twenty-fifth to thirty-sixth will be eliminated from the tournament.
In cases of tie-breaker situations, the following criteria will be used:
- Goal difference in the league phase
- Total goals scored
- Away goals scored
- Number of wins
- Total points obtained by opponents
- Collective goal difference of opponents
- Disciplinary points based on yellow and red cards
Upcoming Champions League Dates
The following key dates for the Champions League are set:
- Matchday 7: January 21
- Matchday 8: January 28
- Play-off round: February 17/18 and 24/25
- Round of 16: March 10/11 and 17/18
- Quarter-finals: April 7/8 and 14/15
- Semi-finals: April 28/29 and May 5/6
- Final: May 30 (Budapest)
This season promises to deliver thrilling matches as teams vie for a chance at European glory. Stay updated with the latest news and analysis on Filmogaz.com.
